South Carolina health officials have declared an end to a measles outbreak that infected 997 people over six months, making it the largest single-location outbreak in the U.S. since the disease was declared eliminated, Reuters reported Sunday.
The outbreak began in October 2025 and spread primarily through unvaccinated school-age children, according to the South Carolina Department of Public Health. The last case was reported on March 15, after which state officials waited 42 days, twice the virus’s maximum incubation period, before formally declaring it over.
Of the 997 cases, 932 occurred in people who had never been vaccinated. Spartanburg County accounted for more than 90% of infections. Children aged 5 to 17 made up the largest share, with 639 cases. The outbreak cost the state an estimated $2.1 million and led to 874 students being quarantined across 33 schools.
Vaccinations Surged In Response
The outbreak drove a sharp rise in measles vaccinations statewide, with more than 81,000 doses administered a 31% increase from 2025. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention worked with state authorities throughout the response.
Dr. Mehmet Oz, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, had urged Americans in February to get vaccinated, saying on CNN’s State of the Union: “Take the vaccine, please.” Oz was addressing surging outbreaks across multiple states, including South Carolina, which had by then surpassed the prior year’s outbreak in Texas.
Merck, the sole U.S. manufacturer of the MMR vaccine, had warned against splitting the combined shot into separate doses, saying FDA approval for single-virus vaccines could take years.
National Elimination Status Now Under Review
The outbreak unfolded against a worsening national backdrop. The United States recorded 2,288 confirmed measles cases in 2025, the highest annual total since 1991, according to the CDC. As of April 23, 1,792 cases had already been reported in 2026.
Measles was declared eliminated in the United States in 2000. That status is now under review, with the Pan American Health Organisation delaying a decision until November.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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